Bead jewelry making apparatus

ABSTRACT

An automatic bead jewelry making apparatus and related method of use is disclosed. The bead jewelry making apparatus comprises a bead bowl defining a cavity in communication with an opening, a brush arrangement comprising a handle and brush operatively associated with the bead bowl, and a motor operatively engaged to the bead bowl for rotating the bead bowl, wherein the brush arrangement is positioned such that the brush is disposed inside the cavity of the bead bowl when the bead bowl is rotated by the motor.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION

This utility patent application claims the benefit of U.S. ProvisionalPatent Application entitled “Bead Jewelry Making Apparatus”, Ser. No.60/610,043, filed Sep. 15, 2004, which is herein incorporated byreference.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to bead jewelry and more particularly to abead jewelry making apparatus and related method of use.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

According to one aspect, the present invention comprises a bead bowl,the bead bowl defining a cavity in communication with an opening, abrush arrangement operatively associated with the bead bowl, the brusharrangement including a brush and handle, a motor operatively engaged tothe bead bowl for rotating the bead bowl, wherein the brush arrangementis positioned such that the brush is disposed inside the cavity of thebead bowl when the bead bowl is rotated by the motor.

According to another aspect, the present invention comprises a beadbowl, the bead bowl defining a cavity in communication with an opening,a brush arrangement operatively associated with the bead bowl; the brusharrangement including a brush and handle, a motor operatively engaged tothe bead bowl for rotating the bead bowl, at least one bead, at leastone bead defining opposed openings in communication with a conduit, athread medium adapted to receive at least one bead through the conduit,wherein at least one bead is disposed inside the cavity of the bead bowlwhen the bead bowl is rotated by the motor such that at least one beadis loaded to the thread medium when the thread medium is placed incontact with at least one bead being agitated by the brush when the beadbowl is rotated.

According to yet another aspect, the present invention comprises amethod for automatically loading at least one bead onto a thread mediumcomprising:

-   -   a) providing a bead bowl defining a cavity in communication with        an opening, a brush arrangement operatively associated with the        bead bowl having a brush and handle, and a motor operatively        engaged to the bead bowl;    -   b) positioning the brush inside the cavity of the bead bowl;    -   c) placing at least one bead inside the cavity of the bead bowl;    -   d) actuating the motor such that the bead bowl rotates and the        brush agitates at least one bead; and    -   e) inserting an end of a thread medium into the cavity such that        at least one bead becomes loaded to the thread medium.

According to another aspect, the present invention comprises anautomatic bead jewelry making system comprising an automatically rotatedbead bowl adapted to receive one or more beads and a brush arrangementadapted to agitate the one or more beads; a bead case for storing theplurality of beads; and a funnel for pouring the plurality of beads fromthe bead bowl into the bead case.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of an automatic bead jewelry makingapparatus and related components according to the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the bottom portion of the automatic beadjewelry making apparatus according to the present invention;

FIG. 3 is a perspective view of a motor and gear arrangement accordingto the present invention;

FIG. 4 is a perspective view of the bead bowl according to the presentinvention;

FIG. 5 is a top view of the bead bowl according to the presentinvention;

FIG. 6 is a side view of the bead bowl according to the presentinvention;

FIG. 7 is a cross-sectional view of the bead bowl taken along line 7-7of FIG. 6 according to the present invention;

FIG. 8 is a perspective view of a spindle insert according to thepresent invention;

FIG. 9 is a perspective view of a thread holding instrument according tothe present invention;

FIG. 10 is a perspective view of a carrying case of the automatic beadjewelry making apparatus according to the present invention;

FIG. 11 is an end view of the carrying case according to the presentinvention;

FIG. 12 is an opposite end view of the carrying case according to thepresent invention; and

FIG. 13 is an enlarged perspective view of a bead used with the beadjewelry making apparatus according to the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

Referring to the drawings, an embodiment of an automatic bead jewelrymaking apparatus according to the present invention is illustrated andgenerally indicated as 10 in FIG. 1. The bead jewelry making apparatus10 provides a means for a user to load at least one bead 15 onto athread medium 17 (FIG. 9) having an end 94 held by the user with athread holding instrument 12. As used herein, the term thread mediummeans any type of thread, such as bead wire, nylon cord, nylon thread,cotton fiber thread or any other thread medium adapted to be used inmaking bead jewelry. As shown, the bead jewelry making apparatus 10comprises an upper housing 18 engaged to a lower housing 20 for encasinga motor and gear arrangement 38 that is operatively engaged to rotate abead bowl 14 adapted to receive beads 15 for making bead jewelry.

As illustrated in FIGS. 4-8, the bead bowl 14 is preferably adapted torotate clockwise about an axis 84 when actuated by the user andcomprises a sidewall 72 that defines a cavity 68 adapted to receive oneor more beads 15. The bead bowl 14 further comprises a central raisedportion 70 and a peripheral edge 73 that defines an opening 62 incommunication with the cavity 68. As further shown, the portion of thecavity 68 between the sidewall 72 and the central raised platform 75defines a channel 74. To rotate the bead bowl 14, the raised portion 70includes a cross-shaped aperture 76 adapted to operatively engage across-shaped portion 82 of a spindle insert 52. Spindle insert 52 isalso operatively engaged with the gear and motor arrangement 38 thatrotates the bead bowl 14 about axis 84 during operation of the automaticbead jewelry making apparatus 10. Referring to FIGS. 1 and 2, operationof the motor and gear arrangement 38 causes the bead bowl 14 to rotateclockwise about axis 84 and comprises a housing 54 that encases a motor40 having an output shaft 48 that drives first, second and third gears42, 44 and 46. When the output shaft 48 is rotated by motor 40, thefirst gear 42 is rotated in one direction that rotates second gear 44 inan opposite direction such that third gear 46 is rotated in a directionopposite to that of second gear 44. The third gear 46 is engaged to arotatable shaft 50 that is operatively engageable with spindle insert52. When the cross-shaped portion 82 of the spindle insert 52 isoperatively engaged to the cross-shaped aperture 76, the bead bowl 14may be rotated by motor 40 when actuated by the user.

Referring back to FIGS. 1 and 2, upper housing 18 defines a plurality ofbead case receptacles 26 each adapted to receive a bead case 25 that mayhold a plurality of beads 15. As noted above, funnel 27 is used tofacilitate pouring of beads 15 from the bead bowl 14 into bead case 25in a quick and effective manner. In addition, upper housing 18 furtherdefines a plurality of bead bowl receptacles 28 each adapted to store abead bowl 14 in order to interchange a bead bowl 14 on the automaticbead jewelry making apparatus 10 with another bead bowl 14. In thismanner, different types of beads 15 may be loaded during the beadstringing process by simply interchanging bead bowls 14 containing aparticular type of beads 15.

The upper housing 18 further includes a stand 36 operatively engaged toa brush arrangement 30. The brush arrangement 30 comprises a handle 34connected to stand 36 through a hinge 78. The free end of handle 36comprises a brush 32 that is disposed inside channel 74 and adapted toagitate beads 15 when bead bowl 14 is rotated such that the beads 15 arecaused to tumble faster. As shown in FIGS. 5 and 7, the hinge 78 swivelsthe handle 34 to permit the brush 32 to be disposed inside the channel74 of the bead bowl 14. In this position, it is preferable that thebrush 32 be located along the middle portion of the channel 74 such thatbeads 15 disposed inside the channel 74 are agitated and follow paths98A, 98B and 98C when the bead bowl 14 is rotated as shall be explainedin greater detail below.

Preferably, the lower housing 20 is engaged to a cover 22 that protectsthe automatic bead jewelry making apparatus 10 and allows apparatus 10to be carried as a carrying case using a handle 80. The cover 22 isoperatively engaged to the upper housing 18 through a pair of hinges 178that provide a means of opening and closing cover 22. A drawer 90 isprovided at the lower housing 20 for storing thread medium 17 andadditional tools for manufacturing bead jewelry. In addition, a funnel27 is provided that is adapted to facilitate the pouring of the beads 15from the bead bowl 14 back into one of the bead cases 25 in a quick andeffective manner. Referring to FIG. 13, each bead 15 preferablycomprises a body 95 defining a conduit 96 therethrough in communicationwith opposed openings 97. Thread medium 17 is adapted to be insertedinto either opening 97 and through conduit 96 when loading beads 15 ontothread medium 17 during the bead stringing process.

According to one aspect of the present invention, a thread holdinginstrument 12 is provided to retain and hold a thread medium 17 duringthe bead stringing process as shall be discussed below. Referring toFIG. 9, the thread holding instrument 12 comprises a body 56 including ahandle 66 and an extension 58 having a distal end 64 that defines aretention member 60 and an opening 62. The thread holding instrument 12further comprises a spring loaded mechanism (not shown) that opens andcloses opening 62 such that a portion of thread medium 17 may be engagedby the user by inserting thread medium 17 through the opening 62 andallowing the spring loaded mechanism to close and retain the threadmedium 17.

In operation, the user engages a bead bowl 14 to spindle insert 52 andthen pours one or more beads 15 into cavity 68 of bead bowl 14. Once thebeads 15 are disposed inside the bead bowl 14, the user rotates brusharrangement 30 such that the brush 32 is disposed inside the middleportion of channel 74 (FIG. 7). The user then actuates the motor 28 byturning a switch 100 that actuates motor 40 that automatically rotatesthe bead bowl 14. Rotation of the bead bowl 14 causes the beads 15 to beagitated by the brush 32 of the brush arrangement 30 and forces thebeads 15 along paths 98A, 98B and 98C. During the bead stringingprocess, the user engages a portion of thread medium 17 to the threadholding instrument 12 and inserts the end 94 of the thread medium 17into the stream of beads 15 being agitated by brush 32. The inventorshave discovered that positioning the end 94 of thread medium 17 into thepath 98B of beads 15 flowing between the brush 32 and sidewall 72 of thebead bowl 14 causes loading of the beads 15 onto the thread medium 17 inan optimal manner, although such loading can also occur along paths 98Aand 98C. Once a sufficient number of beads 15 have been loaded to thethread medium 17, a crimping device 23 (FIG. 1) may be provided having acrimping portion 55 adapted to crimp a small metal bead (not shown)along thread medium 17.

As noted above, the user may interchange different bead bowls 14. Asnoted above, the upper housing 18 forms a plurality of bead bowlreceptacles 28 each adapted to store a bead bowl 14, thereby allowingthe user to replace a bead bowl 14 with another bead bowl 14. To replacethe bead bowl 14 the user swings out the brush arrangement 30 away fromthe bead bowl 14 and disengages the bead bowl 14 from the spindle insert52. The user then engages another bead bowl 14 to the spindle insert 52to make the automatic bead jewelry making apparatus 10 operational.

It should be understood from the foregoing that, while particularembodiments of the invention have been illustrated and described,various modifications can be made thereto without departing from thespirit and scope of the invention as will be apparent to those skilledin the art.

1. An automatic bead jewelry making apparatus comprising: a bead bowl;said bead bowl defining a cavity in communication with an opening; abrush arrangement operatively associated with said bead bowl; said brusharrangement including a brush and handle; a motor operatively engaged tosaid bead bowl for rotating said bead bowl; wherein said brusharrangement is positioned such that the brush is disposed inside saidcavity of said bead bowl when the bead bowl is rotated by said motor. 2.The automatic bead jewelry making apparatus according to claim 1,wherein said bead bowl is adapted to receive one or more beads.
 3. Theautomatic bead jewelry making apparatus according to claim 2, whereinsaid brush agitates said one or more beads when said bead bowl isrotated by said motor.
 4. The automatic bead jewelry making apparatusaccording to claim 3, further comprising a thread holding instrumentadapted to hold a thread medium, said thread medium adapted to load saidone or more beads when said one or more beads is agitated by said brush.5. A system for automatically making bead jewelry system comprising: abead bowl; said bead bowl defining a cavity in communication with anopening; a brush arrangement operatively associated with said bead bowl;said brush arrangement including a brush and handle; a motor operativelyengaged to said bead bowl for rotating said bead bowl; at least onebead, said at least one bead defining opposed openings in communicationwith a conduit; a thread medium adapted to receive said at least onebead through said conduit; wherein said at least one bead is disposedinside said cavity of said bead bowl when said bead bowl is rotated bysaid motor such that said at least one bead is loaded to said threadmedium when said thread medium is placed in contact with said at leastone bead being agitated by said brush when said bead bowl is rotated. 6.A method for automatically loading at least one bead onto a threadmedium comprising: a) providing a bead bowl defining a cavity incommunication with an opening, a brush arrangement operativelyassociated with the bead bowl having a brush and handle, and a motoroperatively engaged to the bead bowl; b) positioning the brush insidethe cavity of the bead bowl; c) placing at least one bead inside thecavity of the bead bowl; d) actuating the motor such that the bead bowlrotates and the brush agitates at least one bead; and e) inserting anend of a thread medium into the cavity such that at least one beadbecomes loaded to the thread medium.
 7. An automatic bead jewelry makingsystem comprising: an automatically rotated bead bowl adapted to receiveone or more beads and a brush arrangement adapted to agitate the one ormore beads; a bead case for storing the plurality of beads; and a funnelfor pouring the plurality of beads from the bead bowl into the beadcase.